Faucet.



C. CLARK. FAUCET.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JmL-1e, 190s..

903,451. Patented N0v.1o,19o8.

/NVENTQH :FIEL E| CHARLES CLARK, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. 0

FAUCET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed January 16, 1908. Serial No. 411,081.

den and State of Massachusetts, have in. vented a new and useful Faucet,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in valves and more particularly tothat class of valvesknown as faucets, and consists of a non-rotaryreciprocating valve, certain peculiar mechanism for converting a rotarymotion into a reciprocating motion'for actuating suchA valve, and meansto render the valve self-closing, together with such auxiliary andsubsidiary parts and combinations of parts as are necessary to theproper construction of the faucet, all as hereinafter set forth.

The objects of my invention are, first, to produce a strong and durable,quick-acting, and positive faucet, which closes with the pressure of theliquid, and may be made selfclosing if desired; second, to provide afaucet which is capable of being operated by about one-quarter turn ofthe handle, either to close or open the valve, the movement of theoperating mechanism being limited by stops or abiltments, and which hasa non-rotary valve, the abutments for said mechanism at the end of theclosing movement and the non-rotary character of said valve preventingundue strain and wear on the valve on the one hand and minimizing wearon the other hand, to the end that the life of said valve is greatlyprolonged, which is a very valuable feature of my invention; fourth, toaiford means for adjusting different parts of the faucet and for takingup wear thereof, and, fifth, to provide a device which embodies thevarious advantages enumerated above in a practicable and eficientmanner, and which is easy to assemble and take apart. I attain theseobjects by the means and mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through one formof my faucet, showing the valve closed; Fig. 2, a similar sectionshowing said valve open; Fig. 8, a cross-section on lines 3 3, lookingin the direction of the arrow, in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a perspective view ofthe retaining collar for the actuating sleeve, and, Fig. 5, aperspective view of the casing or cover for the self-closing spring.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention as it appears in the drawings, acasing is represented at 1, through which a passage 2 extends, and inwhich there is a valve-seat 4. r1`he style of this casing may vary, moreor less, as may be desired. Oppositely disposed slots 5-5 are cut in thecasing 1 between its ends, preferably at the top and bottom, and ashoulder 6 is formed around the outside of said casing in advance ofsaid slots or of the vertical plane of the front ends of the slots, suchshoulder being beveled from within outward and forward. A substantiallyflat carrier-block 7, for the stem 8 of a valve 9, is adapted to bereceived into the passage 2 and to extend into and be guided in theslots This block has a central longitudinal passage l0 therein,screw-threaded to receive the screw-threaded part of the valve-stem 8,and said block is provided on its upper and under edges with teeth 11.By moving the block 7 backward and forward, after proper adjustment ofthe parts, the valve 9 is caused to open and close the faucet byreceding from the valve-seat 4 to open it and becoming seated thereon toclose it. To move the block 7 back and forth I employ a sleeve 12,mounted to rotate on the horizontal part of the casing 1 and providedwith a coarse internal thread or worm 13 which engages or meshes withthe block teeth 11. The sleeve 12 is held against endwise movement bythe shoulder 6, a retaining collar 14, and a set-nut or lock-ring 15,the latter being screwed on to the rear screw-threaded terminal 16 ofthe casing. There is a packing-ring 17, usually of rubber, let into theinterior of the collar 14, which fits tightly around the casing 1 andprevents leakage at this the only point where it might occur. A lug 18,projecting from the outside of the casing, is received into a groove orkey-way 19 in the collar 14 to prevent the latter from being turned. Thefront end of the collar 14 is beveled in a similar manner to theshoulder 16, only in the opposite direction, and the ends of the sleeve12 are undercut to fit snugly the contiguous beveled surfaces; in thisway provision is made for tight joints and also for taking up wear. Inpractice the lock-ring 15 should be so set as to cause the sleeve 12 tobe held tightly between the shoulder 6 and the collar 14, and yet not sotightly as to materially interfere with turning said sleeve. To take upWear between the last-mentioned members it is simply necessary to. screwup the lockring a little tighter? It will now be seen' that, by givingthe sleeve 12 a turn in the properl direction to actuate the block 7from the forward position shown in the irst view to the rearwardposition shown in the second view, that is, from contact with the frontends of the slots 5 into contact with the back ends of said slots, theproper direction in the present construction being in the direction ofthe arrow in Fig. 3, the valve 9 will be forced from its seat, and thatsaid valvev will be rese'ated by turning said sleeve back again, thethreads 13 and the teeth 11 being the Amediums through which said blockand said valve with Yits stem are operated. About one-quarter turn ofthe sleeve carries the block the length of the slots 5. The sleeve 12 isprovided with a handle 2O which affords a convenient means for rotatingsaid sleeve'.

TheY valve-stein 8 is screwed into the block 7 just far enough to enablethe valve 9 to make a good closing contact with its seat when said blockcontacts with the front ends 'of the slots 5, so that a tight andpositive closing of the faucet is insured and at the saine time injuryto the valve is avoided. Any wear on the part of the valve is taken upby screwing its stein further into the passage 10. Thus it isl clearthat there is no difficulty either in adjusting the valve or bfcompensating for wear.V By slitting that portion or a part of it of thevalve-stem 8 which is designed lto enter the passage 10, and spreadingthe stem slightly, the amount of frictional resistance between thethreadengaging parts is increased and there is no liability ofdisplacement after said stem has been properly adjusted. Such a slitappears at 21. y

In order that .the faucet may be self-closing, l mount a casing or cover22 on the collar 14, a lug 23 in said cover entering a 'slot 24 in saidcollar to prevent the cover from turning, and place a spiral-spring 29within the cover and around the collar and the adjacent section of thesleeve 12, with. one ,end attached to the cover at 25 and the other endattached to the sleeve or to the base of the handle 20 at 26. Vis sowoundwithin the cover that its resiliency wmust be overcome in order toturn the sleeve to open the valve, and it acts immediately the handle 20is released to return the sleeve to the starting point and so close theY valve. j On the front end of the cover 22 is an inturned flange 27which bears on the sleeve 12. The flange 27 is cut away at 28 to leaveroom for the terminal of the springV 29avliich engages the handle 2O tooperate in. The lock-ringl assists in hold- ,ing thecover 22 as well asthe collar 14; in place. This self-closing feature can be omitted insuoli cases as it is not wanted.'

The spring 29 The parts of the faucet are assembled by first insertingthe block 7 through one of the slots 5 into the casing 1 and introducingthe valve 9 at the back end into such casing with the stem S in advanceand screwing said stem into said block as far as may be necessary; nextpassing the sleeve 12 over the rear end of said casing, working it bythe lug 1S and bringing its thread 13, into engagement with the teeth11, and manipulating vit until its'front end is against the shoulder 6;then slipping the collar la into place against the back end oit' saidsleeve,

with the lug 18 in the slot 19; then placing the spring 29 and the cover22 in position as described, the ends of said. spring being receivedinto the cover opening 25 and the handle opening 2G, respectively, andthe vcover lug 23 being received into the collar slot 24, and linallyscrewing the lock-ring 15 on to the *terminal 16. At this time thevalve-stein and the movable sleeve-retaining members are properlyadjusted. By revesing this order the faucet can 'Y be readily takenapart. I Y

details oi construction, as would suggest themselves to one skilled inthe art, may be made withoutV departing vtrom the nature of myinvention.

What I claim as my invention, .aiiddesire' to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. rfhe combination, in a faucet, with a slotted casing having a throughor main passage and provided with a valve-seat, and a valve Vfor thesaid seat, said passage being open except when closed by said valve, ofa carrier -block for and in advance of the valve, such block beinglocated crosswise in said passage without materially obstructing thesaine and arranged to reciprocate in the casing slots, and a rotarysleeve mounted on Y Y9o Such changes in shape, size, and minor saidcasing over said slots to engage, support j and center Vsaid block landwhen rotated to actuate the saine. y Y j Y j ,Y Y

2. The combination, in a faucet, with a slotted. and shouldered casinghaving rar` valve-seat therein, and a valve for said seat, of acarrier-block for said. valveY located in the through or main passage inthe casing and arranged to reciprocateV in the casingy slots, a rotarysleeve mounted on the casing over said slots to engage, support andcenter said block and when, rotated to actuate the same, a retainingcollar for said sleeve also mounted on the casing and keyed thereto,V

the sleeve being between the shoulder on the casing and said collar, andadjustable means to prevent rearward displacement kof the collar. Y A Yj 3. The combination, in a faucet, with a slotted casing having Aavalve-seat therein, of

a valve forsaidseat, a carrier-block orsaid A valve located in thethrough or main passage I in the casing andarranged to reciprocate inthe casing slots, a rotary sleeve mounted on the casing over said slotsto engage, support and center said block and when rotated to actuate thesame, and means to cause said valve to come to its seat vvhen the blockencounters the ends of said slots most remote from said valve-seat.

4L. The combination, in a faucet, With a slotted casing having avalve-seat therein, of a reciprocating block located in the through ormain passage in said casing, crosswise, and extending into the slots inthe casing, such block having a longitudinal screwthreaded passagetherein, a valve for said seat provided with a screw-threaded stemadapted to enter the aforesaid passage in the block, and a rotary sleevemounted on the casing over said slots to engage, support and center theblock and when rotated to actuate the same.

5. The combination, in a faucet, With a slotted casino having avalveseat therein, and a valve for said seat, of a carrier block for andin advance of said valve located in the through or main passage inthecasing, crossvvise, and arranged to reciprocate in the casing slots andprovided on its outer edges with teeth, and a rotary sleeve having aWorm for engagement With the teeth, said sleeve being mounted on thecasin over said slots to support and center the b ook While engaging andwhen rotated actuating the same.

6. The combination, in a faucet, with a slotted and shouldered casinYhaving a valve-seat therein, and a valve for said seat, of acarrier-block for said valve arranged to reciprocate in the casingslots, a rotary sleeve mounted on the casing in operative engagementWith said block, a retaining collar for said sleeve also mounted on thecasing, the sleeve being between the casing shoulder and said block,means to prevent the collar from rotating, a cover mounted on thecollar, means to prevent said cover from rotating, a spiral-spring inthe cover and attached thereto at one end and connected With the sleeveat the other end, and means to prevent backward displacement of thecollar and cover.

7 The combination, in a faucet, of a slotted casing having a valve-seattherein, a valve for said seat, a reciprocating carrierblock for saidvalve extending through the slots in the casing, a rotary sleeve mountedon said casing over said slots to engage, support and center said blockand When rotated to actuate the same, and means to hold said sleeveagainst endwise movement.

8. rlhe combination, in a faucet, of a slotted casing having avalve-seat therein, a valve for said seat, a reciprocating carrierblockfor said valve extending through the slots in the casing, a rotarysleeve mounted on said casing over said slots to engage, support andcenter said block and When rotated to actuate the same, said sleevebeing springpressed in one direction, and means to hold the sleeveagainst endvvise movement.

CHARLES CLARK. Witnesses ALFRED C. FAIRBANKS, F. A. CUTTER.

